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Grandmother Killed By Bees At Grandson’s School
Thu, May 25, 2017
The doors were closed at the Arms of Love Primary School in San Ignacio today after a deadly bee attack. Yesterday afternoon at 2:30, Cruz Raquel Chan went to pick up her grandson at the school- as she usually does. But instead of wrapping her arms around her little boy and carrying him home, she was wrapped in the deadly grip of a swarm of Killer Bees. Chan died after she was stung dozens of times. It was a terrifying and chaotic scene at the school grounds as students, parents and teachers were outside when the bees invaded. Courtney Weatherburne has more details on this attack.

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Like all school grounds, the one at Arms of Love Primary School in San Ignacio is always active with kids as they play or gather for outdoor activities. And yesterday afternoon during the 2:30 break, it was no different.

But terror was unleashed as a swarm of killer bees descended on the crowded school compound. The teachers and kids scrambled into classrooms and shut all the doors and windows.

But 60 year old Cruz Raquel Chan couldn't get away. She had just arrived at school to pick up her 6 year old grandson when the bees viciously attacked her.

Cyndi Chan, Daughter
"Her body is all covered of this, all her clothes to her feet, her head when I touched her head, in her hair she still had the bees in there, living bees in there, you could imagine the amount, your face covered every inch of your face covered with that."

Courtney Weatherburne, 7News
"And as you said she was bitten all over her body, not just her face?"

Cyndi Chan, Daughter
"Not just her face, her hands even in her nose, in her lip everything was covered."

Chan's 6 year old grandson was inside his classroom helplessly peering out as the bees overcame his grandmother.

Cyndi Chan, Daughter
"When I held him he said mommy, mommy I was screaming to let somebody help my grandma but nobody could not come out, why didn't they help my grandma, so to have a 6 year old cry like that mehn...that is painful."

Two police officers did try to help Chan but they too were stung. And it was already too late for Chan, she died at the school. For Chan's family it is still hard to believe that they lost their loved one to a random but horrific killer bee invasion.

Cyndi Chan, Daughter
"So when I got the news I say why this way mehn, you know."

Now to escape the reality of Chan's death, the family is holding on to the joy she left behind.

Cyndi Chan, Daughter
"She was the most loving person everybody from our neighborhood call her mama Cruz."

"Everybody just got that love for her because she sees you on the street "Holla Amigo" you know "Como Estas.""

Courtney Weatherburne
"She was very friendly?"

Cyndi Chan, Daughter
"She was very friendly with everybody."

2 mothers and 4 children were also stung. One of the police officers was stung 43 times. All of them except for one mother, was treated and released. When we spoke to the principal Iris Garcia this evening, she told us that they had no idea a bee hive was inside a tree trunk in the next yard. She told us that it happened so quickly - a strong wind blew and the swarm of bees appeared. Garcia says that personnel from the Ministry of Agriculture has cut down the tree but warned that they should stay away from the school compound because the bees might still be lingering. So classes resume on Monday.

Chan was originally from Guatemala but lived most of her life in Belize.

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